Why the European Union Treats Israel With Scorn

Israel is the forward outpost of western civilization, or what we consider as the West. On its borders, Israel is directly facing the brunt of the anti-Western forces, namely Islamic fanaticism and intolerance, undemocratic authoritarianism, chaos, illiteracy, and economic backwardness. And yet, it is democratic Israel, with its western values of religious freedom, civil and human rights, technological inventiveness, a vibrant culture, and a successful economy that is being scorned by the Europeans and increasingly by the Obama administration.

The reason for this scorn can be traced to the aftermath of World War II. As the Western European nations calculated the damage rabid nationalism inflicted on the Continent, they decided that the cause was the divisiveness inherent in the nation-state structure in Europe. According to their reasoning, the separate entities, based on ethnic identifications, religious particularism, capitalism and colonial competition, led to conflict and war. As the European elites see it, the nation-state concept had outlived its usefulness, and what they deemed as necessary for peace and progress was a more comprehensive and universalist structure, namely the Common Market, which has evolved into the European Union.

For Jews however, WWII and the Holocaust, in which six million Jews were murdered by Europeans simply because they were Jews, led to a different conclusion. Lacking a national home to protect them from the ravages of anti-Semitism, Jews felt impotent and vulnerable. They needed their own state in order to live in safety and to pursue their own destiny. Israel, thus, became a state, not merely by a 1947 UNSC vote on the partition of Palestine, but by the sacrifices made by its sons and daughters in the battlefields of Palestine. With the passage of time and especially in recent decades, European elites (and to some extent the English speaking Western states of the U.S. Canada, Australian, New Zealand, and Britain) have become more dedicated to the notion that the nation-state had to be replaced by a more universalist structure (The EU and the U.N.). Israel, to those elites, has become an anachronism, if not an affront.

Public opinion surveys in Europe point out that the Jewish state is despised, and it is considered, according to the EU survey as reported by the Guardian newspaper (November 3, 2003), as a threat to peace. The European Commission poll claimed that “60% of Europeans see Israel as the greatest threat to world peace.” 7,500 people in 15 European Union countries said that Israel was a bigger threat to world peace than Iran, North Korea and the U.S.

Responding to the survey, Nathan Sharansky, the then Minister for Diaspora Affairs stated, “The fact that the majority of Europeans sees Israel as the main danger is additional proof that behind the ‘political’ criticism of Israel stands pure anti-Semitism. The EU, which shows sensitivity on human rights issues, would do well to stop the rampant brainwashing against and demonizing of Israel before Europe deteriorates again to dark sections of its past.”

The European Union elitists’ knack for employing moral relativism in addition to its cherished adoption of multi-culturalism is at the core of its scorn for Israel. The Continent that expounded racist theories is now committed to the belief that all humanity is the same. That also explains why Jewish particularism so disturbs the Europeans. Israelis, at least a majority of them, celebrate their differentness and choose to follow their own heritage rather than the putative universal culture the West has adopted. It is why, in the EU states, churches are being replaced by mosques, and it gives credence to the claim that Europe will be Muslim in a few decades.

The Telegraph reported (on August 8, 2009) under the headline “Muslim Europe: The Demographic Time Bomb Transforming our Continent” that “Britain and the rest of the European Union are ignoring a demographic time bomb: a recent rush into the EU by migrants, including millions of Muslims, will change the continent beyond recognition over the next two decades, and almost no policy makers are talking about it…the numbers are startling. Only 3.2% of Spain’s population was foreign-born in 1998. In 2007 it was 13.4%. Europe’s Muslim population has more than doubled in the past 30 years and will have doubled again by 2015… In Brussels, the top baby boy’s name recently was Mohamed… Europe’s low white birth rate, coupled with faster multiplying migrants, will change fundamentally what we take to mean by European culture and society.”

Israel’s success at holding off their hate-filled Arab-Muslim hordes militarily and its economic success in contrast with the EU’s economic trouble, added an additional dimension to the disdain Europeans feel toward Israel. The multi-cultural experiment in such EU states as Belgium, Norway, and Sweden, to name a few, has been a dismal failure. Crime rates have skyrocketed where almost none existed a generation ago. Sweden, for instance has “The highest rape rate in Europe” author Naomi Wolf said on the BBC Newsnight program recently.

Europe and the EU states long infatuation with dead-end social and philosophical fads have become costly. Unfettered socialism has already bankrupted some EU states. Communism chained Eastern and central Europeans and deprived them of freedom. In time, there is hope that the people of Europe will recognize that a universal type structure is no substitute for a national culture and the nation-state. Israel represents the argument that the nation-state is not a fad, but rather an ancient and still compelling vision of humanity, albeit, at the moment, Israel is scorned and abused by its Western “friends” for not conforming to the EU’s double-faced version of human rights and pretentious future of humanity.

The Wall Street Journal article by Gerald Steinberg (May 6, 2008) suggested that “some of the recent friction results from hidden EU funding for anti-Israel civil society organizations. While supposedly promoting peace and coexistence, these groups often preach division and confrontation.” Steinberg added, “The EU was also one of the funders of the infamous NGO Forum of the 2001 Durban conference. Designed to fight racism, it turned into one of the most despicable displays of modern anti-Semitism. The Forum accused Israel of ethnic cleansing and genocide, and called for a policy of complete and total isolation of Israel as an apartheid state ‘through boycotts, divestment and sanctions.”

The vote by key EU states to upgrade the Palestinian Authority status on November 29, 2012, was indicative of the EU’s hostility toward Israel, using Palestinian human rights and political status as an excuse. The inherent contradiction in the EU position is obvious. While seeking to supersede the nation-state in Europe (and despising an ethnic Jewish state) the EU is advocating an Arab-Palestinian nation-state.

The EU political, economic, and demographic decline is contrasted by a flourishing Jewish state. The multicultural and supranational union known as the EU is a failure. On the other hand, the ingathering of the exiles in the Jewish homeland produced a rich and uniquely Israeli culture that only a nation-state can provide. Israel is a success story despite the scorn with which the EU treats it.

Israel stands in the way of Eurabia, the common denominator of the red/green alliance. As such, its destruction is always their high priority.
But as long as this has been the case, its ramped up designs have exploded, under the guidance of Barack HUSSEIN Obama – http://adinakutnicki.com/2012/08/13/coming-full-c….
Europe is both envious of this speck on the map and its outward success, despite having its roots in socialism too. For heavens sake, Israel's first leaders were socialists! Nevertheless, a capitalist power house has emerged and most don't know the half of it, but Euro heads/elitists do. It makes them crazy. Read "Start Up Nation".
Adina Kutnicki, Israel http://adinakutnicki.com/about/

My own interpretation is that while antisemitism is obviously alive and well in Europe, it is mostly the by-product of other, symmetrical phenomenon,…such as Islamization and dhimmification.

SCREW SOCIALISM

And socialism.

PhillipGaley

Such an interpretation is illogical in these ways: Can our aging and feeble "Chezwick" apprehend how that, jealousy of one people against another, or of one individual against another existed long before there were Moslems? Can the same "Chezwick" at all apprehend how that, as a first instance of character, stated desire and intent to destroy Israel is not simply a by-product?

And, what in the world could "symmetrical phenomenon" refer to? For, as ever half dead and always stinking, in any description of correct form, evil is never properly held to be symmetrical, or alive and well. And besides, if it made any sense, number would be correct, as in, "symmetrical phenomena", . . .

I'd say, for souls such as "Chezwick", a couple stiff drinks and some hours of perusal of the weather channel would yield about as good as could be expected, . . .

Chezwick

Very deep, Philip. Keep at it….you'll master the English language someday.

1) "apprehend" should be comprehend

2) Of course jealousy existed long before Muslims…but in analyzing why antisemitism in Europe is so much more pervasive today than say a quarter century ago, the gorilla in the room is the presence of millions of Muslims who are there today and who weren't there 25 years ago. Similarly, their presence has altered the culture of the natives, who now, out of both fear and solidarity, embrace dhimmitude with a fever never seen in history among unconquered peoples.

3) note my use of the qualifier "mostly"

4) "Alive and well" is an expression that could as readily be apply be applied to evil as anything that exists in abundance and/or health

5) "Symmetrical" implies symmetry….as in the organic symmetry between antisemitism on the one hand and Islamization and dhimmification on the other

Chezwick,while the huge Islamic population in Europe contributes a great deal and certainly gives a modern day facade to it, I think the root of European demonization of Israel is traditional European anti-Semitism which is heavily infused with economic envy. George Gilder's book, The Israel Test talks about that, and I think his point is a very good one. Europe has never shed it's feudal roots, and the Jews, in feudal system, were the "go-between people" as well as the entrepreneurs, a group Europeans have always depended upon but hated. European society sees the wealthy entrepreneurs not as having created wealth but as having stolen it. Wealth is seen as a finite thing — a few are born to it, most are not. But if you have it and you are not one of the European feudal lords (or their descendants) then you are an intruder and a thief and it can and should be taken from you. Power in traditional European society is in the hands of the rulers (as in Muslim society); and while crumbs may fall to the peasants, crumbs (the European wealfare system) are all that fall and nothing more is expected or sought after or demanded.

Drakken

The huge muslim population of Europe doesn't contribute as much as it takes, sooner or later when the economic collapse hits the rest of Europe, there will be a reckening of bibical proportions to be had.

Parenthetical Phrase

Israel, on the other hand has created an economic miracle from pitiful desert land, thus proving that real wealth is not in the tangible things passed down to you, but in your ability to create wealth. No wonder that like Arabs whose wealth (if they even have it) comes from a commodity found on their land (oil) and not from them or their efforts. (Even extracting it from the ground is the effort of others.) It seems to me that the angry and violent Muslims living in their midst are kind of an embodiment of the European perspective on life.

Chezwick

Interesting perspective. You could very well be right. My own premise is based on the fact that antisemitic expressions and incidences were relatively rare in Europe from the 50s to the 90s, at least as compared to today. And the most logical reason explaining the transformationt is quite obviously Muslim immigration and Islamization.

But perhaps the argument could be made that the period from the 50s to the early 90s was anomalous…and – as you suggest, the Muslims are merely giving voice (and sociological cover) for long-held European beliefs.

SCREW SOCIALISM

Something BAD is going to happen to europe – soon.

Everyone can see it coming.

Parenthetical Phrase

George Gilder made an interesting observation: that for a very long time (maybe until around 1980 or 1990 — I'm not sure) Israel had a largely socialist economy and did not become the economic miracle until Netanyahu introduced the free-market reforms which catapulted it to a position where it left the European economies in the dust. So your point about the 1950s to the 1990s has validity but not because Europeans didn't hate Israel or the Jews — they just didn't see them as successful enough to demonize them.

vladtepes2

Amen ! You hit the nail on the head. Finally.
This is the clearest diagnosis of the problem that I've seen yet, and of the existential question facing Western Civilization.
Now what ?

It's as if Europe was so badly wounded, traumatized and horrified by WWII that the only way it can see to escape the memory of the horror, and the fear of a repeat, is to commit slow motion suicide, and to take the rest of the world with it.

Gotterdammerung?

Drakken

There is is a very deep underestimate of European resolve when push comes to shove, it is in the European DNA to conquer and spill a lot of blood in the process, as they say, history is again to be repeated with a vengeance, think Balkans on steroids.

europe didn't and doesn't want Jews, now Eurabia has millions and millions of Islamists who already are establishing "sharia law" no-go for Infidel zones in failed states like the UK.

.

Anthony

Though I agree with the writers points, as a whole, his argument that a jealousy of the Jewish nation state is at play does not work on reflection of the EU’s relation with Zmoslema states like Turkey, The UAE, Jordan, and others like China, non Western, and in control of its typically dangerous Moslem minority region.

It appears strongly nationalistic states, especially Moslem ones that are clearly anti-liberty as is the case with most to all Moslem majority states, are treated in good faith.

What is the reason for Europe’s volutnary Eurabian path and comeraderie?

The same for Americas woes, cynical elites, socialist “progressive”educators, and above all, the media that is criminal, deceitful and propaganistic.

But the factors require a population looking for a scapegoat. Since the Jewish people are historically the worlds greatest scapegoats, the youth of Europe have been conditioned by he European educational system to hate them under the guise of “anti-Zionism”, I.e., anti-semitism

But why? Surely, Jews do not at he moment, nor likely ever, wish to raise the Star of David over he Reichstag, as Turks wish to do with their cresent moon and star, of France, poor France, doomed to be a colony of its former Moslem colonies

The horror of what awaits Europe can be summed up as a civilizational fall without a fight. Or rather, a fight against other victims of Islamic fascism, or rather more direct, the eternal command of Mohammad’s god to fight and slay whoever until the nature world submits to Islam.

That is the foe, yet the Jews are the fall guys at he hands of clowns in nice suits sitting in the EU’s Tower of Babel in Brussels. Can a more deserving victim ever be said?

As for he Jews, their liberalism has opened up just he sort of mindset that now has condensed in the West. That all human’s are just dandy, only want a better life for the kiddies, will love us for giving our homes, daughters, treasure in he name of being nice will pay off

How wrong.

BAx

Israel is not a Threat – Just a Huge Possibility! Thank God!

stern

I believe this was written in a Spanish newspaper, around 2008. Not too sure of its provenance, but the article itself says it all:

ALL EUROPEAN LIFE DIED IN AUSCHWITZ
By Sebastian Vilar Rodrigez

I walked down the street in Barcelona , and suddenly discovered a terrible
truth – Europe died in Auschwitz … We killed six million Jews and replaced
them with 20 million Muslims. In Auschwitz we burned a culture, thought,
creativity, talent. We destroyed the chosen people, truly chosen, because
they produced great and wonderful people who changed the world.

The contribution of this people is felt in all areas of life: science, art,
international trade, and above all, as the conscience of the world. These
are the people we burned.

And under the pretense of tolerance, and because we wanted to prove to
ourselves that we were cured of the disease of racism, we opened our gates
to 20 million Muslims, who brought us stupidity and ignorance, religious
extremism and lack of tolerance, crime and poverty, due to an unwillingness
to work and support their families with pride.

They have blown up our trains and turned our beautiful Spanish cities into
the third world, drowning in filth and crime.

Shut up in the apartments they receive free from the government, they plan
the murder and destruction of their naive hosts.

And thus, in our misery, we have exchanged culture for fanatical hatred,
creative skill for destructive skill, intelligence for backwardness and
superstition.

We have exchanged the pursuit of peace of the Jews of Europe and their
talent for a better future for their children, their determined clinging to
life because life is holy, for those who pursue death, for people consumed
by the desire for death for themselves and others, for our children and
theirs.

What a terrible mistake was made by miserable Europe .

Zionista

I read this a few years ago – so sad and true. Europe is now paying and will continue to pay a very high price for past and current choices.

SCREW SOCIALISM

A GREAT and TRUE essay.

Islamists are raping and killing people in Europe, yet Eurabia hates Jews.

SCREW eurabia.

Parenthetical Phrase

What a great essay! Thanks so much for writing it out, Stern. I hadn't see that and I'm very glad to read it now. How even more true it is today. The crime epidemics European countries are experiencing thanks to young Muslim men are destroying the cultures there. Blonde women in Scandinavia are dying their "Aryan-looking" hair black in order not to stand out as targets for their dear Muslim countrymen to rape. And yet their anger and fear must be suppressed and redirected towards the ever-shrinking population of Jews in their midst.

PhillipGaley

A Eurabia, a swirling swill of humanity in Islamic character, and without ideas of individual freedom, will then be more easily ruled; and partly because, Islamic nations are ruled by their lawyers, and partly because, such populace—as all around the globe is demonstrated—lack individual motive intent in creative vectors, . . . in the face of such goals, then, a flourishing Jewish state just leaves a bad taste, . . . a sense of impossibility, . . .

Matt

When success and failure sit side-by-side, the European sees success as the cheater, and failure as the victim. This must be true because all outcome must be similar. If it is not similar, it is because success has unfairly manipulated the outcome. Also, success has victimized failure.

Israel's crime is it's success. It is unfair because Israel cheated. Also, Israel must be victimizing its neighbors. There can be no other explanation for the behavior of Israel's neighbors.

At least Israel understands what it is up against. The European and American leadership use warped liberal thinking that flips the world upside-down.

SCREW SOCIALISM

europeans hate America too.

It's a jealousy thing.

SCREW eurabia.

κατεργάζομαι

.
RE: "Why the European Union Treats Israel With Scorn"

It is Written.

The most important prophetic development of the 20th Century was the regathering of the Jewish people to their historic homeland in the Middle East, resulting in the creation of the state of Israel on May 14, 1948.

The second most important development was the formation of a European confederation known as The European Union. Both of these momentous historical events point to the fact that we are living in the end times, right on the threshold of the Tribulation and the Lord's return.

Joseph Puder certainly has a point about Israel being an obstacle to EU's anti national policy. And that EU elites may be annoyed of the little vibrant nation-state's success. A reminder that EU may have lost its way travelling towards another Utopia. And eventual fate. However, I don't think that's all the truth. After the 1967- and 1973- wars the oilproducing countries (OPEC) felt so humiliated that they resorted to commercial war on Europe, oil embargo: Stop supporting Israel or your industries will come to a stop! The blame was thus cast on Europe for the defeats. Europe was defeated easily, paid the skyrocketed oilprice, – and gave Israel the cold shoulder, – and agreed on Arab conditions of Euro-Arab political, economic and cultural dialog. The Euro-Arab Axis. Eurabia was born. In clandestine – we never heard of it on the media. Now it stinks. Europe, a bad egg.

Bert

Long before the current era anti Jewish sentiment was well established. I suggest that the cause is the Jewish idea itself from the time time of Abraham. The world has long consisted of pagans and idol worshipers who despise the idea on one G-d who rules over all. That ancient struggle continues under various circumstances but it is still the same conflict.

jesiii

til I saw the check which said $7346, I have faith …that…my best friend was like actually bringing in money parttime on-line.. there sisters roommate haz done this 4 less than 13 months and a short time ago repayed the mortgage on their apartment and got a top of the range Citroën 2CV. we looked here,
wOw92 ℂOM

Herb Benty

And God said, " I will make Israel a stumbling block to the nations", kind of fitting isn't it. Concerning Israel He also said " I will bless those that bless you and curse those that curse you" should give any nation pause in how they treat Israel don't you think?

Indioviejo

I suspect that the E.U. is headed towards insurgencies and civil wars. I do not believe most Europeans will bend over for the progressive-Islamic cabal who is subverting their countries. If history teaches something it is that there will be a reaction to oppression, and once they start marching again they will be merciless with their new masters. Israel should encourage and stimulate this unrest.

Drakken

I will tell you why he EU hates Israel, OPEC has them over a barrel and instead of using military might against these savages to keep the oil flowing, they folded against anti humanity. The govts of Europe with the EUSSR at the helm are scared to death of the muslims in their midst and what they will do if provoked, so they continue to try to hide it under the proverbial rug, meanwhile the EU elites and intellectuals blindly follow the EU out of a sense it will lead to peace and prosperity, not realizing that the common man in the street is at his/her wits end and absolutely hates muslims with a passion, they are just better than we in the US at hiding it, a few years ago this resentment was just whispered in bars and coffee shops, now it is openly discussed. Nationalism is going to rapidly rise with a faltering economy and muslim growth, make no mistake, there will be blood and lots of it. The Balkans was just the opening act, the rest will happen when a incident caused by either side kicks it off.

Raymond in DC

"While seeking to supersede the nation-state in Europe (and despising an ethnic Jewish state) the EU is advocating an Arab-Palestinian nation-state."

This point of course undermines a good part of Pruder's thesis. For if Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people is deemed an anachronism, why is Palestine as the nation-state of the Palestinian Arabs *not* an anachronism? Moreover, why do said Europeans have a problem with a "Jewish state" but no problem with a state that calls itself "Arab" or "Islamic" or both? Tellingly, those Palestinians who *do* talk about a two-state solution call just for "two states", while rejecting "for two peoples". They want (for now) one Palestinian nation-state (with all Israeli Jews expelled), and a second "state for all its peoples" – that is, with nothing Jewish about it beyond its majority (for now) of Jews.

SCREW SOCIALISM

Raymond in DC – AKBAR!

Similarly the socialist opponents of "occupation" by Israel, the Euros, Africans, Asians living on Native American land in North America don't see their own brutal, racist OCCUPATION.

Lady_Dr

The answer to your question about the anachronism is simple. The Europeans are post-Enlightenment, they do not think logically, therefore objecting to Israel's nationism while promoting Arab-Palestinian nationalism is consistent with their irrational mindset.

PAthena

I agree with Natan Sharansky. The anti-Israel attitude of the EU is anti-semitism.